


Beauty and the Beast

by Lyprid



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Beauty and the Beast AU, F/M, Multiple Endings, Not really Beauty and the Beast, Requited Love, Unrequited Love, was going to make this after the disney movie but got carried away
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 17:28:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11018118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyprid/pseuds/Lyprid
Summary: Although they have only known each other for a little over one week, Zen has been working up the courage to confess his feelings towards MC ever since he recognized what they were. What will happen, however, when he sees something he wishes he hadn't?





	Beauty and the Beast

He lets out a heavy breath, shaking the jitters out of his hands as he paces back and forth across the room. Although he has talked to MC over the phone more times than he could ever count within the past eleven days, that is nothing compared to actually meeting MC at the party! Excitement courses through his body as he walks around the room, settling on practicing his lines for an upcoming play that he had neglected recently due to a certain someone. He would never tell her this, though, knowing that she would no doubt blame herself for his lack of focus as of late. This time, Zen says to himself as he settles down in a comfortable love couch, finding where he had left off in his script. This time I’ll be sure to tell her how I feel.

“I’m so sorry! Excuse me.” MC barely manages to get out as she continues to run, already forgetting about the now angry pedestrian she bumped into a moment ago. Her thoughts were only on the RFA party that was today that she was late for. “I can’t believe I was stupid enough to turn off my alarm and go back to sleep!” Careless about the strange looks the people around her were giving her, she pulls out her phone and pulls up the RFA app. She stops on the corner of a street, gulping in breaths as she waits for the signal telling her she can walk (run, in her case) again. She takes the time to pull up Seven’s contact information, readying herself mentally for her conversation with him. An incoming call startles her out of her train of though, almost making her drop her phone on the pavement below her. She manages to catch her phone in time, however, furious at whoever was calling her at such an improper time. She hastily answers the call, about to go off on the person on the other end of the line, when a familiar voice comes through the receiver, chilling her body.  
“MC, my assistant has told me that you have yet to arrive at the party. Although I can’t exactly criticise you for being late, as I am also on my way there currently, I have a perfectly reasonable excuse as to why. Do you?” The hairs on the back of MC’s neck stand up, goosebumps spreading across her arms as she tries to come up with a rational excuse, only to mumble out a weak apology before explaining what happened. “I should have figured you would do something so forgetful,” Jumin says, and although MC thought the words were a bit harsh, she knew Jumin meant nothing by them as he added a quick chuckle afterward. “How about I come and pick you up, then. I’m sure that would be a lot faster than you walking to the party.” MC opens her mouth, ready to deny his generous but outlandish offer but was cut off by Jumin. “It’s also a good excuse as to why you’re late. We can just tell the rest of the members I was stuck in a meeting and you were waiting for me to come and pick you up. Doesn’t that sound a lot better than telling them you were late because you slept in?” Heat rises to her cheeks as she walks across the street, blending in with the crowd as the make their way to the other side. “Tell me where you are and I can come and pick you up.”  
MC sighs, knowing that Jumin won’t take no for an answer and that he wasn’t really asking in the first place. She stops once she crosses the street, looking around her for the street signs. “I’m on the corner of first and ash right now.” She looks for any landmarks around to pinpoint the exact location, settling on a cafe right behind her. “I’m also right in front of a cafe, I think it’s called Boutique de Patisserie.” MC hears a quiet mumbling from the other end of the line and quickly assumes that Jumin is relaying the information to his driver. Shuffling comes through the phone before he starts to speak again.  
“I’ll be there in a few minutes. If you have the time, I would highly recommend buying the bichon au citron from the cafe. I’ve been there a few times while meeting with some businessmen and they have delicious pastries. Although I have never personally had that specific pastry myself, you’ve said you enjoy citrus fruit many times in the messenger so I thought you might enjoy that. We are only a couple of minutes away, so if you plan on buying something, I would suggest doing so now.” With that, Jumin hung up, leaving MC on the other end with her jaw hanging open. He’s going to be here in a couple of minutes!? With that, she runs into the cafe, pulling her wallet out in a hurry to quickly purchase the pastry. To her luck, the majority of the rush of people had already come and gone, leaving behind the few stragglers who had nothing important to do. She walks up to the display case, looking to see if they had the desired pastry in stock.  
“May I help you, Miss?” A young man walks out from the back, swiftly wiping excess flour from his hands on his apron as he approaches MC. He smiles gently at her, resting his hands on the counter as he waits for her response. MC freezes as she looks in the direction of this voice, shocked by how handsome he looked. His crisp black locks perfectly framed his face, his chocolate orbs capable to warm even the coldest heart. No wonder Jumin likes this place so much, MC thinks as she points to the little sign that read bichon au citron, too scared to speak in case she couldn’t form proper sentences. Even the most bitter or burnt pastries would seem like heaven if he sold them to you. “Ah, you have exquisite taste, young lady,” he chuckles, grabbing two of them and setting them in a bag. “These are personally my favorite that we have stocked year round, yet almost no one cares to buy them. It’s a shame, so much love and dedication goes into them as well.” He hands MC the bag, winking at her as he slides a small piece of paper in addition to the pastries. “You just so happen to be the very first customer today who has bought the bichon au citron, so you get two on the house.”  
“Th-thank you!” MC manages to squeak out, earning another chuckle from him as she puts her wallet away. She bows, hitting her head on the counter in the process. “Oof.” She grunts, rising her hand and pressing it to her forehead, using the other hand to wave away the man when he starts to make his way to the other side of the counter. “No need to come over here, I’m probably the most clumsy people alive on this planet. It doesn’t hurt that I have a thick skull as well.” They both laugh at that, the atmosphere calming down instantly as he settles back into his area behind the cash register.  
“If you’re sure you are fine, I’ll believe you. If you start to get worse, feel free to call me and I’ll come and check up on you.” He points to the small piece of paper that came along with the sweets and MC unfolds it, revealing his phone number. MC’s eyes widen as she looks up, finally noticing how much effort and charm he’s putting into his physique and words. Her phone rings, snapping her out of her trance as she takes it out of her purse, Jumin’s name popping up for the caller ID. “It looks like someone else wants to talk to you, so I’ll let you go. Don’t forget you can call me if you need anything, though.” He winks at MC once more before turning around and starts walking into the back room of the shop, leaving MC scrambling to answer her phone while grabbing her things.  
“I’m here,” Jumin says as soon as MC picks up, not waiting for a proper greeting. “You’re not, though.” MC hears Jumin sigh on the other end of the line, causing her to panic even more trying to exit the pastry shop. She opens the door with her hip, suddenly grateful that a lot of the stores downtown have doors with bars instead of doorknobs. “Ah, I see you,” Jumin states as MC sees a door to a slick black car open, a crisp looking business man stepping out. The man hangs up the phone, walking over to MC as she struggles to hang up and put her phone away. “Let me help,” Jumin says as he grabs the pastry bag from her hands, enabling her to successfully put her phone away. Momentarily forgotten about, the piece of paper fluttered to the ground, going unnoticed by MC although not by Jumin. “What’s this?” He bends down, grabbing the paper and unfolding it, revealing the insides. His grasp on the paper tightens as he looks at MC, his gaze hardening as he raises the paper. “Who gave you this?” MC’s breath hitches as she points to the shop behind her, audibly gulping as she watches Jumin walk into the shop, leaving her standing on the sidewalk.  
“This seems familiar,” MC mumbles, brief flashes of her father coming to mind as she walks around to the driver window of Jumin’s car and gently rapping on the glass, waiting for Driver Kim to roll down the window. When he does, she gives him a tight smile, pointing towards the back of the car. “Do you think it would be alright for me to wait for Jumin in the car?” He nods, opening the door and stepping out to open the door for MC. “Oh, I can open the door on my own!” She briskly walks to the back door, grabbing the handle and pulling on it, opening the door to show Kim she was capable of doing it herself. “I may be clumsy, but at least I can open the door for myself. Thank you for considering opening the door for me, though.” He simply nods his head before getting back in the driver seat, abandoning MC to be by herself once more. She gets in the car, tenderly shutting the door behind her as she slumps into the seat, defeat etched on her face and her stance.  
“Please don’t be offended by Mr. Han’s actions, Miss MC,” Driver Kim says, worryingly glancing at her through the rearview mirror. “He hasn’t had a lot of people in his life that he cares about, so it’s harder for him to express his emotions than it is for others. If anything, I would have to say that many people misunderstand him, either expecting too much from him or taking advantage of his kindness.” The corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiles at her caringly, receiving a similar smile from MC in return.  
"Wait, how do you know my name?” MC inquires, tilting her head to the side in confusion. Driver Kim chuckles at that, leaning forward and looking out the side window to his right to make sure Jumin wasn’t on his way back. “Mr. Han actually talks about you quite a lot, at least more than he does any other person besides his father.” MC blushes at this, oblivious to the cheerful driver in front of her. His smile disappears when the door opens, Jumin sliding in with grace before shutting the door. He glances at MC quickly before addressing driver Kim.  
“If there is nothing more to do, you may head to the party now.” Driver Kim nods his head, pulling away from the curb and into the traffic. “There usually isn’t this much traffic,” Jumin mumbles, glancing out at the slow moving cars on the road, adjusting his cuffs. “Maybe it has something to do with the party.” The car goes silent soon after, Jumin drifting off into his own world and MC desperately trying to think of a good conversation starter to get his attention with.  
“Aha!” MC exclaims, causing Jumin to jerk his head towards her in curiosity. She blushes but continues to pull out one of the bichon au citron before handing it to Jumin. When he stares at MC in confusion, she lets out a small chuckle before elaborating. “You told me that you had never tries the bichon au citron before and I happen to have gotten two of them.” She closes his hand around the pastry, pulling the other one out of the bag before taking a bite out of it. “Mhh,” MC moans as she takes a bit out of the side of the pastry, licking her lips before taking another bite. “I’m pretty sure I have never had anything as good as this. The puff pastry is so buttery and rich, it compliments the sweet and smooth curd in the center.” She looks up from her treat, noticing that Jumin had been staring at her with a smirk on his face while she had been enjoying herself. She pushes the pastry back into the bag, heat rising to her face in embarrassment as she fidgets around in the seat.  
“If you enjoy the pastry that much, it would be a shame to take this pleasure away from you,” Jumin teases, offering MC back the bichon au citron in his hand. She shakes her head, quickly making sure that she finishes all of the remaining pastry in her mouth before speaking.  
“You should definitely try it, Jumin. You won’t know what you’re missing out on if you don’t.” With that said, she looks out the window behind him, watching the people as they drive by. Although she would never admit it to any of the other RFA members, she had recently found that she enjoys watching people walk by. She imagines what kind of lifestyle they live, if they were going through any rough patches in their life, what secret identities they might be hiding from their friends and families. Although she knows a lot of the things she comes up with is undeniably make believe, she still gets joy out of the silly game. A elder woman was standing on the corner of the street, holding a makeshift sign that read ‘Will read fortunes for money’. The beggar turns her head, staring through the window of Jumin’s car and although MC knows that the car has tinted windows, it seemed like the woman was staring directly into her eyes. She shivers, grabbing her elbows and hugging herself tighter as she shrinks away from the opposite window.  
“Are you cold?” Jumin asks MC, noticing her actions. Not waiting for a reply, he shrugs off his suit jacket and scoots forward, placing it around MC’s shoulders. He looks her up and down, nodding his head in approval before settling back into his seat, leaving MC speechless next to him. The car pulls up next to the curb, soon coming to a halt in front of a large building. “Ah, we’re here.” He turns to MC, giving her a small smile before putting his hand on the car handle. “No doubt there will be reporters out there, so be ready for a lot of flashing lights.” He pulls on the handle, pushing it out and stepping out and offering MC his hand. She gladly accepts it, letting him pull her out of the car into a frenzy of reporters desperate to get good pictures of the corporate heir with his date to the party. “As long as you smile, they won’t be able to get a single bad picture of you.” He looks down at her, grinning at her as he pulls her along the carpet up to the main doors to the building.  
“Mr. Han,” a woman sighs at the door as the two of them approach the front entrance, pinching the bridge of her nose as she taps her foot against the floor, impatiently waiting for her boss to show up. MC hangs her head in shame, too embarrassed to look the other woman in the eyes. “Your father has been asking for you for the last half hour. What should I tell him?”  
“Tell him that I got caught up in a meeting and then had to go and pick up MC before coming to the party. In fact, you can tell the rest of the RFA members that as well.” It was Jaehee’s turn to avert her eyes as Jumin continues to talk, oblivious to his assistant’s sudden shift in attitude. “Also, I would advise you not to talk to your boss like that, Assistant Kang. We may be in the same organization, but that does not allow you to act any differently towards me than other workers.”  
“Jumin, I think that’s enough,” MC cuts in, giving Jaehee a sympathetic smile before redirecting her attention to Jumin, who was looking rather irritated. “That’s no way to talk to your employee, let alone a fellow member of the RFA. Not to mention how stressed out she must be right now considering she’s the head organizer of the party. Why don’t you give her a break?” Jumin’s glare softens as he looks at MC, listening to her argument as he takes in his assistant’s appearance. Although her outfit looks professional and crisp, it was impossible to miss the bags under her eyes and how pale her skin looks.  
Jumin sighs, looking Jaehee in the eye as he considers his next words carefully. “MC’s right, you have been doing a lot for not only me, but the rest of the RFA as well.” He gives her a shaky half smile, causing both MC and Jaehee to stand there shocked at the effort he’s putting into this. “Feel free to take the rest of the week off.” He walks past his assistant, grabbing the doorknob and pushing the door open, leaving MC to give a shocked Jaehee a quick hug and greeting before scrambling after him.  
“B-but Mr. Han, it’s only Tuesday!” Jaehee manages to get out, turning around to find that the two remaining RFA members to arrive had already walked into the building, blending in with the crowd.

Where is she? Zen paces on the balcony, fear blossoming in him as the minutes pass by without MC walking in the building. “She should have been here by now.” He takes out his phone once more, pulling up her contact information and hovering his thumb over the call button. “I’m just being silly,” Zen sighs, pressing the power button on his phone and sliding it back into his pocket. “She’ll walk in here any minute, saying she was being her clumsy self and lost track of time.” He leans against the railing, tilting his head up and staring at the stars in a forced contempt as he eavesdrops on the gossip coming from the other guests.  
“-late. He is never late to anything.”  
“Calm down, Sarah. I’m sure Jumin will be here any minute. Just be glad that he isn’t here yet and take the time to pull yourself together for goodness sakes!”  
Zen glances to his right and notices two women were with him on the balcony, appearing superficial to even the most oblivious person with makeup caked on their faces. Figures that trust fund jerk hangs around with women like that, Zen thinks bitterly, turning his attention back to the stars once more. Women who don’t know what qualities to look for in men aren’t my type anyways. I like the kind of girl who is kind, generous, beautiful on the inside and out. Someone who always has the best intentions when they are with you. He sighs, pushing himself off the railing and making his way towards the ball room. “I can at least see if they serve beer here while I wait, although I doubt an overly fancy place like this serves it.”  
When he walks in, however, he notices that the atmosphere had shifted since he left to be alone on the balcony to no avail. Guests were crowded in small groups, leaning in towards one another and whispering in each others ears. Confused, Zen makes his way towards the nearest group and gently places his hand on one of the women’s shoulders, snapping her attention from whatever had her entranced. “Excuse me, miss,” Zen says smoothly, slipping into his actor persona as he puts on a blinding smile, causing the woman’s friends to turn towards the masculine voice behind them. “If I may ask such an astoundingly gorgeous woman such as yourself, what has you in such a reverie?”  
She blushes, subconsciously brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she turns her head the other way. “I-I uh…” she stutters, unable to make eye with Zen as he patiently waits for a reply from her. “I was, well we were,” she manages to mumble out after a while, motioning to her friends behind her as she speaks. “We were looking at one of the hosts who just walked in.” She wrings her hands as she continues, embarrassment and guilt radiating off of her like a sweltering furnace. “Jumin Han is a handsome man and any reasonable woman would want to be with him. Not that it matters, though, as it appears he brought a date with him.” As if just now noticing who she was talking to, her head snaps up as she spews out sentence after sentence to try and reassure him. “Not that you're not handsome either, Zen! You’re just as handsome as Jumin Han is and any sensible woman would die to be with you too.”  
Words that were supposed to be comforting to him instead stung him, leaving him in a foul mood as he tries to find a quick way to get out of this conversation. “Thank you for the kind words miss, but you don’t need to try and comfort me. You meant nothing malicious by your words. If you don’t mind, I would like to welcome Jumin to the party.” He turns and walks in the direction of the main doorway, not waiting for a reply from the group. Play it cool, Zen. You’re not an actor for nothing. Just pretend that this a plot in a play and get into the role you were assigned. He takes a deep breath, setting his shoulders straight as he continues straight ahead. As he gets closer to the front of the ball room, a voice that Zen can clearly distinguish as Jumin’s gets more clear until he can see the back of the jerk’s head. A familiar voice laughs next to him, stopping Zen as he repeats the sound in his head to confirm who it is. It can’t be, Zen thinks as he continues his advancement towards Jumin, desperation in his steps.  
“Jumin Han is a handsome man and any reasonable woman would want to be with him.”  
He pushes in between people, quietly mumbling apologies as he leaves disgruntled guests behind in order to reach his goal. His breathes get heavier and more labored the closer he gets, coming up with alternative scenarios in his head. Zen breaks through the front lines, causing an abrupt disturbance as his eyes landing on a surprised Jumin and his startled date.  
“Is everything okay, Zen?” Zen stands still, shutting his eyes and willing all of this to be a dream. When he opens them again, his apartment appears in front of him, a cold beer placed in front of him on the coffee table, the faint waft of food coming from the kitchen. The TV is muted on a news channel, replaying a sports section that was broadcasted previously. Everything is how he left it, leaving Zen relieved beyond belief as he slowly exhales and closes his eyes once more, sinking into the fluffy cushions of the sofa. “Zen,” a soft voice whispers nearby, melting away all of the tension in his muscles. “Zen, open your eyes.” He does, greeted by MC standing in front of him, worry etched on her face as she gently places her hand on his arm, squeezing lightly. He looks around, the crowd of guests surrounding him gradually growing larger to see what the commotion was about.

**Author's Note:**

> Haven't posted in a really long time but I only have a few more days of school left (about 15 or so). I have a few free periods on computers so I've been working on a few different fics... I've been bad :( I really should continue on Tongue Tied but I've lost the fire for it. Gotta refuel my love with some different pairings, I hope you guys don't mind too much. I wanted to do a BATB themed MM story, but I got carried away so now it's not really following the story line.


End file.
